Notable or Notorious? A Gallery of Parisians

by Gordon Wright

This book, save for one chapter, is not concerned with artists. It is concerned with men and women who achieved a degree of prominence or notoriety in the Paris of their day, but whose reputations have been dimmed by time. While they are not 'world-historical' figures in the Hegelian sense, each one seems to me to reflect some aspect of society and attitudes of nineteenth-century Parisians. Indeed, they may be even more representative of their times than are certified geniuses, those whose stature makes them exceptional rather than typical.

154 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1901

About the author

Gordon Wright was William H. Bonsall Professor of History Emeritus at Stanford University

Reviews

[reveurdart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mainly read this for the piece, Delphine Gay de Girardin (1804-1855), Princess of the salons. I did think the pieces tended to be a bit too short, which is why I gave this 3.5 stars, but good for introductory research.